Stereo & Electronics - Big Headlight Problem

Happened last night, first of all, when you put the headlights down, the left motor stays engaged for about 6 seconds making a loud buzzing noise. Second, when you only put on the parking lights, the headlights come up. And third, when you hit 'lock' or 'unlock' on the key fab, (the parking lights usually blink) the headlights come up and go down and it makes the loud buzzing noise again. Im thinking its a relay or short or messed up sensor of some kind. This ever happened to anyone before or anyone know what to check first?

From what i can see there is one problem.
It's a pontiac you're driving.

I have a neighbor with a '98 T/A that had the same problem last year. I will ask him what the prob was and get back to you.

It may be the platic gear in the headlight assembly. This topic come up regularly. Sometimes its just the plastic gear being worn. Here are a couple links to check out.

http://www.bfranker.badz28.com/headlightfix/
(scroll down for the free fix, instead of a new metal grear)

http://my.execpc.com/C4/4A/rodney1/firebird/
(another place to get metal gears)

--VIP1

Sounds like the parking light circuit is sending 12V to the headlight circuit. You know it's probably not shorting to ground because the headlights perform their (normal?) function when the short occurs. My first guess would be to check the switch and see if the short is hapenning there. Then follow the wiring until you find it. I would check that left motor, too. The best thing would be to get a different motor and swap them out to see if that is causing problems, but if you can't you could probably just pull the motor and bench test it. Hope this helps and good luck.

ITs the gear motor.

For some crazy reason, the way pontiac designed them, this is exactly what happens when the motor can spin, due to worn gears. most lilely there is no electrical shorts.

Do the 180 degree rotation mod, and you will be fine for a while, or search online, and search for brass headlight gears, and replace the weak plastic, with stronger brass.

ryan.

slow,

I provided those links in my reply above. :cheers:

--VIP1

From what i can see there is one problem.
It's a pontiac you're driving.

At least it doesnt have a problem hitting 13's :devil:

It is just the motor, there is nothing else wrong. Mine did the same thing. Just use the links VIP1 posted for the fixes.

It is the gears stripped. Been there done that. There is no limit switch for up or down but increased current to the motor at the stop is supposed to turn off the motors with the lights locked up or down. When the computer does not sense the overcurrent indicating the assembly has reached a stop, either up or down, it tries to cycle the lights up and down when you lock the car with the remote or unlock it. The 180 degree trick worked for awhile but best to start looking for those brass gears if you can find them. I saw someone on the forum here with them for sale for $42 each (ouch) but he had the brains to get some made and I didn't. I have a backup left motor asm that I got from a junkyard thinking I would replace it until I saw what a mess that is but now I am going to attempt to just swap the gears. Hopefully that will be a little less painful.

The board software should automatically ban anyone that has 'bullit' anywhere in their bio.

14.4 @ 98.7 mph is a joke.

The board software should automatically ban anyone that has 'bullit' anywhere in their bio.

14.4 @ 98.7 mph is a joke.



and don't forget cobra,saleen,steeda..and of course ford :barf:

From what i can see there is one problem.
It's a pontiac you're driving.



lol, Ford does do one thing right..... They circle the problem! :D

im sure its your gear also..i had the same problem with mine..go to that site that vip1 posted if u havent already..its a pain to do but it could always be worse